Patiala, Dec. 25 -- The state government has informed the Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) that it won't proceed with the process to hire 200 psychologists through an outsourcing agency until the next hearing of the case on January 29.

The government's submission came on a petition filed by the candidates, who were already selected for the 343 posts of psychologist and were awaiting joining letters before the state cancelled their appointments on December 18 and started another recruitment process under outsourcing on the same day.

Notably, the Punjab health department had issued directions to the deputy commissioners and civil surgeons to hire the psychologists through a private agency within three weeks, prompting the selected candi...